KT Photo: Nasreen Abdulla

Long lines, heavy traffic, and large crowds were observed outside immigration centers across the UAE on the final day of the country's amnesty program. Some Amer centers had to hire additional staff to manage the surge. At the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai, extra security personnel and police officers were deployed to ensure smooth operations. Public buses to the facility were packed as many men and women rushed to the center at the last minute to regularize their status.

While some individuals faced delays due to visa issues, others held out hope of securing jobs. K.L., an Indian expatriate, waited outside the GDRFA tent, hoping to receive news from the company where he had found employment. "I have been overstaying for three years now," he said. "Earlier this month, I managed to find a job, and last week the company applied for my visa, but it has not been approved yet. They advised me to wait until midday today, and if the approval does not come, they told me to get an outpass and leave the country." He preferred to leave and return rather than risk fines. "I think that if I don’t get the outpass today, my overstay fines will be reinstated tomorrow. I don’t want to take that risk. I will leave and then come back when the visa approval comes."

Eyewitnesses reported that the GDRFA tent had been experiencing a significant rush for the past three days. Although the tent's operating hours are from 8am to 8pm, on Wednesday the facility remained open until 9.30pm to accommodate the rush. On Thursday, some people arrived as early as 6am. Several Amer centers across the country also reported heavy traffic. One man, who chose to remain anonymous, said he had waited until the last minute in hopes of securing a job. "I have been living in the UAE for ten years," said the 47-year-old Pakistani expatriate. "It was in 2022 that I joined a new company as a salesman, but the company closed down. They held my passport, and then I got overstay fines. So, I couldn’t leave. Ever since the amnesty was announced, I was trying for a job. Yesterday I had an interview, but that also didn’t materialize. Now I have no option but to leave. I am hoping to come back and look for a job again."

Authorities have consistently emphasized that once the amnesty program ends, severe penalties will be imposed on overstayers and those who employ them. This amnesty has been one of the most lenient offered by the UAE, providing overstayers with the opportunity to either legalize their status or leave the country without bans.

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